Harry Potter and the Veil of Mystery
by Allianne
Summary: Set during Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts- Harry is devistated after Sirius' death, so he sets out to find out all he can about the veil, with the help of some of his friends.
1. The Letter

A/N: Hi all. This is my first ever fan fic, and i would greatly appreciate it if you would read and review it for me.

Moonlight shone on the roofs of the many monotonous houses of Privet Drive and it's surrounding streets. It was after midnight, and all of Privet Drive's inhabitants slept peacefully in their beds, dreaming about more ways to better their neighbours. All except for one. Harry Potter, of number 4, sat upright on his bed, not remotely tired.  
  
His room was a mess, and he had no thoughts about tidying it. His thoughts dwelled in the same place they had for the last 2 weeks since he had come home for the summer; the events that took place in the Department of Mysteries. No matter how many times he told himself to think of something else, something happy, Harry couldn't. He didn't deserve to be happy when Sirius was dead, he told himself. And no matter what anyone told him to convince him otherwise, he knew it was all his fault.  
  
Harry had been sending letters to Grimmauld Place every 3 days since he came home, but they had always been really simple, saying things like "I'm fine, Dursley's are treating me all right." He hadnt wanted to talk about anything, and he didn't want anyone to talk to him. Professor Lupin obviously realised this, because he had never mentioned anything about the previous year in his letters. Now, on the other hand, Harry decided it was time to talk. His mind had constantly been buzzing sine hearing the prophesy, and he had a lot of questions he wanted answered. He decided to write to Professor Lupin.  
  
_Dear Professor Lupin,  
I am aware that we do don't usually write letters to each other, but after Sirius...well, I need someone to talk to, and you are the only one that will really understand. If I told Mr. or Mrs. Weasley they would fuss, Hermione would worry, and I don't think Professor Dumbledore has time to listen to me with every thing else that is going on. Even though he has explained to me why he has been acting weird towards me all year, I guess I still don't really understand. I need to tell someone everything that has happened to me over the past year, and you're the only one who I feel I can trust. I don't understand why half of it has happened and I thought you could explain it to me.  
  
I suppose it began during the forth week of the summer holidays. I knew that Voldemort had once again regained full power, I had seen it happen, and yet no one felt that I should have any idea what was going on, in case my precious mind couldn't cope with it. I was kept in the dark for four weeks, and the only news I got from Ron and Hermione was short, and had nothing helpful in it whatsoever. I'm telling you Professor Lupin, the silence nearly killed me. And then the two Dementors from Azkaban attacked Dudley and me, and I fought them off using my Patronus, breaking the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, but I didn't care. I found out that Mrs. Figg from around the corner was a squib, that I was being watched and looked after by Dumbledore, but I didn't know why. I had just been attacked, and I wanted answers.  
  
I spent the next four days in a temper, mainly because I received news that I was to attend a hearing for my use of underage magic (I was probably going to be expelled), and also because I had sent notes out by owl, asking what was going on, and telling them that I had been attacked, and still no one cared to tell me what was going on.  
  
Then you and the rest of the advance guard turned up at my house and flew me to number 12 Grimmauld place, headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, and still I didn't get any answers from Dumbledore, the one person who I wanted to talk to. As far as I knew he was completely avoiding me for no apparent reason, at the time when I was most in need of his counsil.  
  
Sirius and you gave me some information, and I was thankful, but you didn't tell me everything, which made me more thoughtful then ever. You told me of a weapon Voldemort was seeking, yet you did not tell me what it was, and neither did Dumbledore. Perhaps if I had known, Sirius would still be here, perhaps not. I'm not really sure of anything anymore.  
  
I went to my hearing, and it seemed to me that I was going to be expelled for sure, yet just in the nick of time Dumbledore turned up and said what he had to say, and still he did not look at me or pay me any attention. Fortunately I was let off the hook, just.  
  
After returning to Hogwarts I realized that hardly anyone believed that Voldemort had indeed returned, even though they had Dumbledore's word on it. It seemed that they would much rather believe the lies and snide remarks told about me in the Daily Prophet, calling me a delusional little attention seeker, which I guessed was down to the Ministry. No body wanted to believe that Voldemort was back, that their lives were in danger, and once again I grew used to people whispering and pointing at me as I walked past.  
  
Life at school was hard, with the Ministry trying to take control of Hogwarts through Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, who was watching my every move. Things went from bad to worse once she was appointed High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. It gave her the power to change rules, and it got the Ministry closer than ever to taking over Hogwarts.  
  
I was having dreams about a long and deserted corridor. At the end of it was a door, and I longed to reach the end of the corridor and open it. It seemed important that I knew what lay beyond it.  
  
And then I had the dream about Mr. Weasley being attacked by a snake...... I was the snake. I knew that it wasn't a dream, but a vision. I went to Dumbledore. He believed me, and sent the Weasley kids and myself to Grimmauld place where we would be closer to the hospital. During the whole ordeal Dumbledore only looked at me once, briefly. But during the split second where we had eye contact I felt like I wanted to attack him, to kill him. It felt like the snake that attacked Mr. Weasley was inside me, like Voldemort was possessing me. I didn't want to be around anyone for I feared that the part of Voldemort inside of me would hurt them.  
  
I was sure he was possessing me, but Ginny made me see strait. Having been possessed by Voldemort before, she told me what it was really like, and I was relieved. I spent a very merry Christmas at Grimmauld place with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, you, Fred, Gorge, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius. For a while Sirius seemed happy, but once we all returned to Hogwarts he was left alone, cooped up in the house he had always hated. He couldn't go out because he would be recognized and caught. It was against his nature to be forbidden to help with the war against Voldemort._

_  
We weren't learning anything in our Defense Against The Dark Arts classes with Umbridge, so we had started "Dumbledore's Army" where I taught people how to defend themselves properly. A rule was passed by the High Inquisitor that meetings of any groups, clubs or teams were banned, but we went on in secret anyway. We were found out, and I, as the leader, was brought to a meeting in Dumbledore's office with Dumbledore, Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. They were going to expel me, but Dumbledore claimed that he was running the club, so they threatened to take him to Azkaban, the wizard jail. With some quite spectacular magic, Dumbledore got away before they could lay a hand on him. Unfortunately, with the Headmaster gone, the job was given to Umbridge, who went out of her way to make life hard for any one who believed "Dumbledore's lies".  
  
As the weeks passed I grew more and more restless. I was still having dreams about the corridor, but somehow I never got far enough to see where it lead, though I did learn that it was in the Department of Mysteries, at the Ministry of Magic. I was worried also for Sirius. Hermione was right about him, he seemed to be becoming more irresponsible. Hermione thought it was because he had been cooped up too long, and I secretly agreed. I didn't want to tell him any news, incase he got worried about me and decided to play __hero. I didn't want him to risk his life for me.  
  
Near the end of the last term for the year I had another dream. In it I managed to get through the door and all the way into a room filled with rows and rows of shelves. On the shelves sat millions and millions of glass spheres. I dreamt that I went row ninety-seven, and down the end of it was none other than Lord Voldemort, torturing Sirius, who was obviously in pain.  
  
I didn't even stop to think, I was certain it was another vision like the one about Mr. Weasley. Perhaps if I had thought everything through properly I would have realized that it was all a ploy of Voldemort's, that he was putting these thoughts in my head on purpose to lure me to the Department of Mysteries. If I hadn't have gone, Sirius wouldn't have had to come to rescue me. Why didn't I realize?  
  
Do you know what? When I saw Sirius fall through that veil in the department of Mysteries after fighting with Voldemort's Death Eaters, I half expected him to come back through it. After all, it was only a veil that hung between an archway. He fell through it having been hit by a stunning spell, but why didn't he come out the other side? He just disappeared and I don't understand why he didn't just walk back through the veil. He must have heard me calling for him like my life depended on it. He was my Godfather, the closest thing I had left to a family, and he didn't come. And then you told me he was dead, but I couldn't believe it, I wouldn't believe it. There was nothing stopping him from coming through that veil. I wanted to go and help him, but you held me back. So I guess my biggest question of all is, what is that veil, and how did Sirius die from falling through it.  
  
But then there is the prophecy, which is the whole reason Voldemort wanted to lead me to the Department of Mysteries in the first place. I had no idea that all those glass spheres I saw were prophecies. The prophecy Voldemort wanted was one about the both of us. The only ones who can pick up the prophecies are those of whom which the prophecies concern. As Voldemort couldn't exactly just walk into the Ministry, he wanted to trick me into getting it for him. With all the fighting going on with you lot and all the Death Eaters, the prophecy smashed, and I never got a chance to hear it. But later, back in Dumbledore's office, he told me all about the prophesy, he told me what it said._  
  
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hands of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."  
  
_Me. But there are things I don't understand. I am not nearly as powerful as Voldemort, yet I'm supposed to have the power to vanquish him. I don't have that power and I don't know how to get it. All these people are relying on me to kill Voldemort, but I just don't see how I can. "Either must die at the hand of the other," it says, but what if I can't kill him. What if he kills me? According to the prophecy I'm the only one that can do it, but what if I can't?  
Please, I need your help and I need your answers,  
Write back soon,  
Harry Potter._


	2. Return to Grimmauld Place

A/N: well, here is the next chapter, and i hope you like it. Please take the time to write a review and let me knoe what you think.

Harry sat back from writing the letter with a sigh. He felt somewhat relieved, as if putting all his thoughts on paper had cleared his head a little, and made things easier to understand. He folded up his rather long letter and put it on his desk, awaiting Hedwig's return.  
  
As Harry wrote his letter, the sun had broken over the horizon, causing trees and houses to cast long shadows along Privet Drive. For a long time, Harry just sat and looked out his window. He was deep in thought, but thinking not the sad, depressing thoughts he had before writing his letter, but about his friends. Ron and Hermione had both been sending Harry frequent owls, checking he was alright, and also telling him any news they thought he might wish to hear. As Ron's father worked for the ministry, Ron knew alot of what was going on, and passed it on to Harry. Hermione, on the other hand, filled Harry in on any improtant news in the _daily prophet_, as she knew that Harry wouldn't be reading it properly.  
  
To Harry, even though his friends were now giving him news, this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the previous. Dumbledore had not written, and Lupin's letters had been severely lacking in news about the order. Harry had felt at the end of last term, that perhaps, on account of everything that had happened, someone might care to keep him informed of the orders actions. Apparently though, there was nothing that the order felt he should know.  
  
Harry smiled bitterly to himself, wondering when someone would take him away from Privet Drive. True, the Dursleys were treating him fine. In fact, they were probably being nicer to him then they had ever been, but Harry longed to be back in the wizarding world, where there would be things to keep him busy. Busy enough that he wouldnt have to think...  
  
A tapping at the window woke Harry from his thoughts, and he looked out to see Hedwig waiting for him to let her in. He opened the window to let her in, and shut again as she settled herself on top of her cage.  
"I know you only just got back, but would you mind giving this to Lupin for me?", Harry asked, as he stroked her back. Hedwig's only reply was to affectionately nip one of his fingers, and to hold her leg out, waiting for Harry to tie the letter on.  
"Thanks Hedwig", Harry called out the window after her, before shutting his window and turning to dress for the day.

Two days later, Harry walked upstairs to his room, after a dinner with the Dursleys that could almost have been described as pleasant. Awaiting him when he opened his bedroom door was Hedwig, with a letter attached to her leg. She flapped her wings impatiently, waiting for Harry to romover her burden. He swiftly removed what appeared to be a reply from Lupin, before he thanked Hedwig, gave her some owl treats, and sat down on his bed to read.  
  
_Dear Harry,  
  
I have to say that your last letter suprised me a bit; I wasnt expecting something like that for a while yet, but i am glad you have decided to give me your thoughts. Perhaps though, it would be easier for us to talk face to face, rather then in letters. I have spoken to Dumbledore, who has assured me that you have stayed with your aunt and uncle long enough. I therefor propose that you come and stay with me at headquarters. I am aware that you may be uncomfortable staying in Grimmauld place, but it is the only place you can be kept safe. Send me an owl as soon as you can, to tell me whether or not you want to come.  
Kind regards, and i hope to see you soon,  
  
Remus._

Harry wanted more then anything to leave Privet Drive and go live with Lupin for the rest of the summer break, but was he willing to return to Grimmauld place? The truth being told, Harry thought that if he had to stay in Grimmauld place, so full of memories of his dead godfather, one more time before he died, it would be too soon.

_Why would I want to go there for? Lupin should know that that is the last place in the world I want to be at the moment! _Said an angry voice inside his head, to which his calmer, more rational voice replied; _You want to go back there because you long to talk to another wizard face to face. So what if it means you have to go back to Grimmauld place, you know that Lupin will be able to answer your questions._

Harry laughed at his own thoughts; the first sign of madness was asking yourself questions, the second sign was answering them.

_Prof. Lupin,_

_I'd love to come! Any thing to get out of here!!_

_Harry._

So what if he was lying a bit when he said "I'd love to come"? Lupin didn't have to know how miserable Harry was about the fact that in order to get his much desired answers he had to return to Grimmauld place.

Harry awoke suddenly 2 nights later, when he heard a load _crack_, that he was positive had been caused by someone apparating into his room. Quick as a flash, Harry rolled out of bed; his had reaching for his wand in the same instant. Standing upright with his wand held steadily in front of him, Harry spotted the intruder, which he had expected to be a death eater making an attempt on his life.

He had accidentally left his light on when he went to sleep, so it was easy for Harry to recognize the young, slightly disheveled looking man that stood by his bedroom window. His robes were tatty and covered in patches, and his brown hair was full of a lot more grey then Harry remembered their being last time they had seen each other.

"Professor!! You could have warned me!" Harry said to Professor Lupin, amusement in his voice. "I thought you were a death eater!"

"Sorry", came the reply. "But you should have enough trust in Dumbledore's protection spells to know that no death eater could get to you here!"

"Well I only found out about those protection spells a couple of weeks ago!! Anyway, it doesn't matter. Are we going?" Harry was slightly surprised to hear his own voice sound a bit anxious.

Lupin smiled, "Are you that desperate to leave? Actually, don't answer that, I can already guess the answer. We'll leave as soon as you're packed."

Most of Harry's stuff was already packed, as he had assumed Lupin would be coming for him sometime soon. He spent the work of about 10 seconds putting the rest of his stuff in his trunk, while Lupin took an insignificant looking old shoe out of his pocket.

"Now that Voldemort is out in the open, we don't have to ask the Ministry's permission to use a portkey", said Lupin as he inspected the shoe. "Got everything?"

Harry nodded and went to join Lupin by the window, as Lupin took out his wand and muttered "Portus".

"On 3 then, Harry. One, two, three..."

Harry felt the familiar pulling sensation from a place behind his navel, before feeling his feet lift off the ground, and touch back down again just inside the door of Grimmauld place.

Harry looked at his surroundings. It was exactly how he remembered it, except for one major thing; Sirius no longer lived in this house. Taking deep breaths, Harry struggled to fight back tears. He soon gave up fighting them completely and let them run freely down his face.

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Harry...I'm sorry it had to be here", said professor Lupin softly, before he pulled Harry into an almost fatherly hug.


	3. A conversation with Phineas

Well here it is, chapter 3. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think.

"It's still just after midnight, Harry." Said Lupin, after a while. "You should go to bed, we can talk in the morning."

Harry nodded without a word and climbed the stair until he got to the room he had always shared with Ron. Before he went to turn the door handle, Harry turned to lean over the banister. "Goodnight, professor."

Somewhere below, Lupin chuckled. "Remus, Harry, call me Remus. I'm no more a professor then Dobby is a hippogriff. Goodnight."

"Night then...Remus," came Harry's reply before he stepped into his room and shut the door behind him.

Harry surveyed the room, which was dimly lit by a few meager candles floating above the desk. It was the same, gloomy looking high ceiling that he remembered, the same two beds, and the same wardrobe standing like a giant shadow in the corner.

"Ahh, so it's _you_ again", came a snide remark that brought Harry's attention to the ornate picture in the room, the portrait of Phineas Nigellus. "I did wonder when we'd get the chance to meet again."

"I'm sure it was something you were looking forward to", said Harry dryly.

"Oh, but I really _was_ looking forward to it", Phineas drawled. "You see, Harry, I have always somewhat admired you disregard for the rules, the way you stick up for yourself...I cant deny that you've got...spunk. In fact, if you weren't so welcoming towards muggles and muggleborns, I might even _like_ you."

"You're evil", spat Harry. "If you don't think that muggleborns deserve to be treated the same as everyone else, then you're no better then the rest of Voldemort's supporters; evil, slimy, gits!"

"Ah, but don't you see Harry?" replied Phineas. "Every one is entitled to their own opinion, and you cant discriminate against people because of their beliefs. What you _can_ do, is try to _change_ people's opinion."

"Phineas, I'm tired, so get to the point", said Harry, sitting on his bed.

"What I am trying to tell you, dear Potter, is that you could kill Voldemort right now, and it wouldn't do any good", stated Phineas.

"Well it would save the world from evil, that seems pretty good to me", replied Harry, bluntly.

"Do you want to know why it wouldn't do any good? It's because if you killed Voldemort now, there would still be thousands of people out there that think the same way he does. You can't just kill Voldemort and think that it will all go away, you have to prove to people first that you are right and he is wrong."

For a while, Harry said nothing, he was to busy thinking about what Phineas was saying. "You know what, Phineas?" he said slowly. "For an evil git, you seem to be giving some useful advice to the good guys."

The was a pause. "Treasure it Harry, it doesn't happen often", said Phineas slowly, before he ambled out of his portrait, leaving Harry deep in thought.

Harry woke the next morning, not quite sure where he was. It was a minute before he could recall the events of the previous night that had wound up with him in Grimmauld place. Light streamed through the window as Harry looked expectantly into Phineas' portrait, but the canvas was bare.

Slowly getting out of bed, Harry reached for his clothes and dressed before he headed down to the kitchen for some breakfast. He thought he heard a snigger before he closed his door behind him, but when he looked back at the portrait it was as void as ever.

Harry entered the kitchen to find Remus busy at the stove, cooking bacon and eggs.

"Morning, Remus", Harry yawned. "Need a hand with that?" Harry was slightly impressed. For a wizard, Remus seemed fairly adept at cooking eggs the muggle way.

"No thanks, Harry. Take a seat, breakfast will be ready in a minute", Lupin replied, and sure enough, within a minute Harry sat in front of a tottering pile of eggs, bacon and toast.

"Eat up", said Remus. "Molly has given me strict instructions to feed you up a bit. She doesn't reckon your aunt feeds you enough."

"Actually", said Harry, between mouthfuls of bacon, "the Dursleys have been pretty good so far this summer. Come to think of it though, it might have something to do with the fact that they think you'll all turn them into pigs if they're nasty to me."

Remus laughed at this. "Well I'm glad they had the sense to listen to us at the train station. Moody will be pleased that his intimidation skills paid off."

Harry wondered. How could Moody's intimidation skills _not_ pay off? He didn't even have to open his mouth before people started running fast in the other direction!

"So is it only you staying here? No members of the Order or anything?" asked Harry, trying to make it sound like he wasn't too curious. He wanted to find out as much information as he could, of course, but he wanted to do it in a roundabout way if he could. Remus might not want to tell him if he seemed too keen on the issue.

Remus, however, saw right through Harry's attempt at being discrete. "I did wonder how long it would take you to bombard me with questions. Personally, I had thought it would be sooner." He didn't seem angry. On the contrary, his eyes were crinkled in mirth.

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, well, I just don't like being kept in the dark. I did think that it'd be different this summer though, 'cos of what happened."

"Dumbledore's learnt his lesson, Harry", said Remus. "He wont leave you in the dark again. At the moment it's important for you to know what's going on."

"Then why was I left in the dark for the last 2 weeks then?" Harry asked, a slight sound of anger in his voice. To Harry's surprise though, Remus laughed. Harry was puzzled.

"Harry you really are too suspicious!" When Harry continued to look confused at this comment, Remus continued. "You haven't heard anything because there has been nothing to tell! I think both sides of this war a spending a couple of weeks regrouping, planning their next course of action. Voldemort has to find another way to hear the prophecy now, or else find a way to defeat you entirely. You foiled his plans again last month, so he has to start from scratch. And besides, it's only been two weeks! What did you think would happen?"

Harry did feel slightly foolish at Remus' comments. "So what are the Order up to then?" he asked. "I mean, since the Ministry confirmed it, you don't have to spend time trying to convince people Voldemort is back, do you?"

"No, that's true", commented Remus. "At the moment, we're trying to find out what Voldemort is planning next, trying to keep people as safe as possible- muggles included, trying to recruit new members into the Order–"

"I'll join!" Harry interrupted. "Please, I really want to! I'm nearly 16, aren't I old enough now?" Harry was surprised to hear a slight note of desperation in his own voice. He wondered if Remus heard it too.

"No, Harry", Remus said softly.

"Why not?!" Harry shouted. "I have single handedly done more then nearly all of the order members put together! I have already fought with Voldemort 3 times and survived, not including the time I fought Tom Riddle, or the time when he gave me this scar! And beside from all that, I am the only one who will ever be able to defeat Voldemort for good! Isn't that reason enough for me to join?"

Remus did not look surprised at Harry's outburst, but rather although he had been expecting it. "Harry, it is exactly that last reason that prevents Dumbledore letting you join."

"I don't understand", said Harry, straining to keep his voice even.

Remus sighed. "You are the only one who will be able to defeat Voldemort, and that is why you must remain separate to the order. The order does not fight Voldemort specifically, it fights the death eaters, learns their actions, tries to figure out what they are up to. We try to keep wizard- and muggle-kind safe. There is you, and there is the Order, both separate forces aiming to do separate things. The task before you is a huge burden, Harry. Dumbledore wants you to focus on that, not what the Order is doing."

Silence followed as Harry thought. "But wont I need to know what the order is up to?"

"Yes", said Remus, simply. "And you will know, but there is a difference between you knowing what the we are up to, and you being tied down by the Order."

"How could being a member of the Order possible tie me down?" asked Harry skeptically.

"Well", said Remus slowly, "just as an example, members of the order always go out in two's or three's. If you were in one of these groups and you ran into a bunch of 30 death eaters, with Voldemort amongst them, what would you do if Voldemort then left? Would you go after him, or would you stay to prevent your fellow members facing an almost certain death? We want to prevent you form having to choose between which people you want to save. Does that make sense?" Remus surveyed Harry thoughtfully.

"I guess you're right", Harry replied slowly. "But that doesn't mean I like it!" he added with a grin.


	4. Of dreams and birthdays

Well, here is chapter 4. Huge thanks go to those who reviewed!

Silence followed their conversation, as they finished eating breakfast. It was clear though; to Remus at least, that Harry had something else he wanted to talk about. Harry however, did not know how to begin about Sirius. Remus was one of Sirius' best friends; surely it was a sore spot for him too.

"...Remus", he began, unsure of himself. "I just...um...I was wondering...the veil...what is it?" he finally managed to stammer out.

Remus' features suddenly softened. "Harry, I am not an Unspeakable, and nor do I pretend to be one. I don't know what the veil is." He said all this very softly, and as Harry looked into his eyes, he saw grief.

"You don't have any idea?" Harry pressed, though he too spoke softly. "Not even a guess?"

Remus thought about this. "I have many guesses, Harry, but that is all they are; guesses. I do know this though; the veil has captivated the minds of Unspeakables for centuries. No one knows for certain its power, what it is used for, or when it came to be about. It is one of the biggest mysteries of wizard kind."

"But then I don't understand", said Harry. "If you don't know what the veil does, how did you know that Sirius was..." he left the sentence hanging, not wanting to say it.

"I felt it", said Remus, his voice cracking. "In here", he continued, patting his chest. "I can't explain it better then that, but when it happened, I just _knew_." Remus now had tears down his face, and Harry realized, perhaps for the first time, that Remus had no one left. He had now lost James Potter and Sirius Black, his two best friends, and the last friend he had left was fighting for the forces of evil.

He hasn't lost everyone though, thought Harry, he still has me. Harry wanted to say something to Remus, something to show him how much he appreciated how Remus looked after him.

"Sirius..." Harry began. It hurt to say his name, but he continued anyway. "Sirius was like a brother to me, Remus. He was always there. Always. And lately I've been thinking about what you are to me. I only just decided." Here Harry took a deep breath before continuing. "You're always looking after me, helping me. I don't think you realize how much I appreciate it, but I do. You're like a father to me Remus", he finished, tears running down his face and his voice cracking

Harry spent a very comfortable couple of weeks in Grimmauld Place. Remus, it turned out, was an incredibly fun person to be around. He always had something new and exciting planned, and Harry suspected that was due to him once having been a marauder.

Not only was Remus good at having fun, he was also extremely handy when it came to homework. Anything Harry had trouble with, Lupin knew the answer. He helped Harry with a particularly nasty potions essay on invisibility solutions, as well as a 5-foot transfiguration essay on animal transformations.

All in all, thought Harry as he headed to bed on the eve of his birthday, it was definitely up there as one the best summer breaks he had ever had.

"_Follow me Harry", said Ginny in his dream. "Just follow, I have something important to show you." And of she ran, leading Harry down a labyrinth of corridors and archways. Any time Harry nearly caught up to her, she would run faster until he could barely tell which way she had gone. _

_The chase went of for what seemed like an eternity, but neither Ginny nor Harry got tired. Ginny rounded a sharp corner and Harry followed her, nearly running in to her for she had stopped just round the bend._

"_This is it, Harry", she whispered. "This is what you have to see...open the door." Harry obeyed, and found himself in a room he could easily recognize. It was the room where Sirius had died. In the middle of the room, between an ancient stone archway, hung the veil. _

"_Come on", said Ginny, and she grabbed him by the wrist and led him down stone step after stone step, until there were feet away from the dais on which the archway stood._

"_All you have to do is walk through it Harry" whispered Ginny. "That's all you have to do. If you walk through there you can see them. You know who I mean."_

_Walk through? Thought Harry. Why not, cant do any harm, can it?_

"_Harry", called Ginny. "Hurry up. If you're scared I'll go first. I'm not scared."_

_Did he really want to walk through that veil?_

"_Harry", she called again. He was coming. He stepped onto the dais, pulled back the veil and-_

"Harry! Wake up already, it's you birthday, or don't you want presents?" It was Remus.

"I'm up, I'm up", Harry grumbled, getting out of bed.

"Good", replied Remus. "When you're dressed come down to the kitchen, I have a special birthday treat for you."

"Does it bite?" grumbled Harry, still not entirely awake. Remus chuckled as he shut the door behind him, and Harry got dressed and went down after Remus. What was that dream all about?

When Harry entered the kitchen, the crowd of people that were crowded around the table immediately preoccupied his thoughts from the dream. Harry was very surprised to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Hermione, Tonks, Kingsley, and Mundungus Fletcher. He was even more surprised to see an enormous pile of presents covering the kitchen table. 

"I figure you never really had a proper birthday party before, so I thought I'd surprise you", said Remus.

"Come and open all your present mate", said Ron, with a grin on his face. If it were possible, Ron had grown even more in the couple of weeks since Harry had seen him. Though he had filled out a bit, so he wasn't looking quite as gangly as he usually did.

"Yeah Harry", said Hermione. "There're heaps of presents here. It is your 16th, after all. Here", she said, handing him a rather large and heavy present. "This one's from me."

"Its not another homework diary, is it?" said Harry with a grin, as he started unwrapping it.

"No", said Hermione, also grinning. "I've resigned myself to the fact that nothing is going to get you two to do your homework on time!"

Harry finally got all of the wrapping of the present. "Wow Hermione, thanks!" Harry was looking at a very large photo album, with a picture of him, Ron and Hermione on the front. It had to have been their first Christmas at Hogwarts. They all looked very young. Harry opened the album and found it full of pictures of himself, Ron, Hermione, and all their friends. There was a very funny one in which Ron was coughing up slugs. Harry suspected Hermione must have gotten it from Collin Creevy.

"This is from me, Ginny, Mum and Dad", said Ron, handing Harry an oddly shaped present.

"Not us though", said George.

"Yeah", said Fred. "We got you something...better." Both the twins had mischievous looking grins on their faces.

Harry went back to unwrapping his present. It appeared to be a small fire grate, with weird looking inscriptions covering every inch of it.

"It's a portable fireplace", said Ron. "It's hooked up to the Floo network, so it will be easier to talk while you're with the muggles."

"It also means I don't have to cover for you if you decide to sneak into a teachers office to talk to someone", said Ginny, smiling warmly at Harry. "By the way, we also got you some Floo Powder."

"You didn't need any encouragement from me!" replied Harry, grinning. "Thank you", he said to Mr. And Mrs. Weasley.

"That's quite all right, dear", said Mrs. Weasley. "We're hoping it might keep you out of trouble a bit."

"Why would Harry want to keep out of trouble?" asked Fred. He and George were holding a very large and oddly shaped present between them.

"Yeah, we got him this, hoping he would continue where we left off", said George, as they put the present on the table in front of Harry.

"This, my dear Harry, is a sample", said Fred. "A sample, of our complete range of merchandise" he continued, as Harry unwrapped.

"Let's see", said George. "We have; Portable Swamp"

"Skiving Snack boxes"

"Ton-Tongue Toffee"

"Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs"

"Canary Creams"

"And much, much more."

"Thanks guys", said Harry. There did indeed look to be much, much more, but Harry would have to wait till later to experiment. Harry turned to his other presents. There was a book about Aurors from Kingsley, who had found out Harry wanted to be an Auror, and wanted to help him as much as he could. Tonks gave him a huge book full of quidditch plays and broom tricks, which Harry loved. Mundungus gave Harry a present too, but told Harry he wasn't allowed to open it till he got up to his room.

"This is from me, Harry", said Remus. "And Sirius too. We planned it, before he died."

Remus waved his wand, and in front of Harry appeared a bowl of silvery liquid. It wasn't just any bowl; it was a pensive.

"We want you to use it", said Remus. "But also, we put together a memory for you". Remus prodded the pensive with the tip of his wand, and the silvery liquid began to swirl. "Jump in, Harry", said Remus, and Harry obeyed.

Hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you think by leaving a review!


	5. The memory

Firstly i have to give a huge thanks to those who have reviewed so far- i really appreciate it! And now, on with the next chapter:

Harry's feet hit the ground and he found himself in the living room of what appeared to be a small cottage. There was a fireplace over on one wall, with a window on the wall opposite. To the left Harry saw a door that lead into a kitchen, and to the right was another door that he assumed led to the rest of the house. A comfy looking couch sat facing the fireplace, with two chairs on either side of it. There were four people sitting on the couch and chairs, all of whom Harry recognized immediately.

The two wizards sitting on the chairs were none other then Sirius, and Remus himself, albeit looking a lot younger then he did now. Sirius looked very young and handsome, and Harry saw the smile that he had only ever seen before in a picture from his parents' wedding.

Sitting on the couch were Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter. Lily was holding a small bundle in her hands, and both her and James looked very happy. Harry sat himself down on the rug in front of the fire, facing his parents.

James was waving what looked like a baby rattle in front of the bundle, and Harry realized immediately that the bundle his mother was holding must have been him. As Harry watched, a minute hand shot itself free of the blackest that surrounded it, and grabbed the rattle. James laughed. "You know what?" he said. "I don't think he's cut out to be a chaser. I reckon he'll be a seeker."

"James", said Lily, also laughing, "He's only two days old, how can you know if he'll even play quidditch?"

"Cos he's like a miniature version of me. How could he _not_ play quidditch?" The little  
Harry in the bundle began to make cute little gurgling noises, and immediately Remus and Sirius got up to make little baby noises at him. Sitting on the rug, Harry laughed out loud. He had never imagined what Sirius and Remus would be like around babies.

"Can I hold him, Lil?" asked Sirius. "I promise to behave and not try to teach him bad habits." Harry laughed again. Sirius looked like a little child begging for sweets.

"Of course you can, Padfoot", said James, as Lily handed over Harry. "You are his godfather, afterall."

Sirius held Harry and sat down, smiling as baby Harry gripped his finger with his miniature hand. On the other chair, Remus laughed. "Padfoot, you hold that kid like a professional father, why don't you go have your own kids, instead of hijacking Harry?"

Sirius grinned. "Well, first I'd have to find a girl that would put up with me."

Remus laughed again. "I don't think she exists, mate. Now hand Harry over before he tries to take after you. Much better if he tries to take after me, the sensible one."

"How bout if he tries to take after me 'n Lil", said James as Sirius handed Harry to Remus. "You know, his parents."

Remus sat down, looking into Harry's green eyes. "I think Harry here is going to do great things", he said softly.

"He'd better", said James, taking Harry out of Remus' hands with a smile. "He has to make heaps of money so he can pay to look after me 'n Lil when we retire!"

Through all this, Harry sat on the rug and watched, unmoved. Since he had seen Snape's worst memory he had been wondering whether Lily really loved James. Now though, there was now doubt in his mind. It was clear that his parents loved each other, and they loved him.

Sirius and Remus stood up. "We better get going guys", said Sirius. "Lots of work to do."

Harry noticed that at the mention of work, all the faces in the room looked saddened.

"Don't worry, guys", said Remus. "You'll be fine. The Order wont let Voldemort get to you."

Lily smiled sadly. "I just worry that if something happens to us, what'll happen to Harry?" James put a comforting arm around his wife's shoulder.

"We'll look after him, don't worry Lil", said Remus. "It's not like we could let him starve. If he's anything like he's father, he'd hex us to oblivion!"

Laughing, Sirius opened the door. "We'll see you guys later."

Harry knew this was where the memory ended, and without so much as a thought as to how he would get out of the pensive, Harry once again found himself in the now empty kitchen of Grimmauld place.

Harry sat back and stared at the pensive, deep in thought. This was the first time he had seen a memory of his parents when they weren't arguing. He smiled; his parents loved him, and they loved each other. He wondered if he could ever love someone as much as his dad obviously loved his mum.

"Harry?" someone called softly, and Harry turned his head to see Ginny poking her head through the doorway. He smiled at her.

"Remus sent me to check that you were okay", she said, returning his smile and sitting down next to him.

Harry sighed. "Ha gave me a memory of my parents", he said, still looking at the pensive. "It's the first time I've seen a memory of them when they were married. It was just after I was born." Harry surprised himself by how much he told Ginny. He usually kept his feeling bottled up as much as he could, but being around Ginny had a strange effect on him.

"Are you okay then?" Ginny asked, in a tone that made Harry look into her eyes. It was the first time he had noticed what e pretty colour they were.

"It's just...", he started, but stopped, thinking. "I just wish I could speak to them, just once. I don't even remember what they were like. All these people keep telling me what they were like, and how wonderful they were, and I'll never be able to find out for myself." A silence followed, in which Harry stared at his hands. It was the first time he had mentioned to anyone how much he missed his parents.

Ginny took one of Harry's hands in her own. "I'll never be able to understand completely, Harry", she said, her eyes bright with held back tears. "But I want you to know that I will always be here to listen. You need to talk to people, Harry. You carry the weight of the world o your shoulders, and if you don't talk, your emotions will overpower you."

"...Thanks Gin", he whispered, giving her a tight hug, as much to her surprise as to his own. He saw a blush spread over her cheeks, and realized that he must be blushing too.

"Come on", said Ginny. "We're having breakfast in the dining room, seeing as there are so many of us", and with that she lead Harry out of the kitchen.

On the way there, they ran into Remus, who was looking worried. "I just wanted to check that you weren't upset", he said, looking into Harry's eyes.

"I'm not upset", said Harry with a grin. "In fact, Moony, that was the best present anyone has ever given me."

Remus beamed.

Hope you enjoyed it, and please leave a review


	6. New Faces

Once again, thanks to those who leave reviews, and please dont hesitate to leave more :)

Dinner that evening was a brilliant affair. Mrs. Weasley had cooked all the food, and it seemed she had pulled out all stops for Harry's 16th. Everyone at the table talked amicably about heir holidays so far, and Harry found himself in a conversation about quidditch tactics with Tonks, Fred, George and Ron. Tonks seemed somewhat impressed with Harry's skills for quidditch strategy and tactics, and she told him as much. He shrugged the compliment off.

"No, I'm serious Harry, you'd make a great captain. From what I've heard, Gryffindor will be needing a new one this year." Harry was taken aback. He had never really considered the option. No doubt he would find out if he really _were_ captain material when the Hogwarts letters came.

Everyone was sitting on chairs in the drawing room, around the fire. They were all extremely full from dinner, and were taking the time to relax. Harry was playing a particularly brutal game of chess against Ron, with Ginny and Hermione looking on, when the doorbell rang. The sound was immediately followed by Mrs. Blacks screeches about mudbloods and blood traitors.

Remus frowned slightly, checking his watch, and got up with Mr. Weasley to answer the door. Obviously they managed to close Mrs. Black's curtains, because silence followed, and soon they were entering the drawing room with a woman Harry had never seen before.

"Harry", called Remus, beckoning to him. "There is someone here who would like to meet you." Harry shrugged at his friends' questioning glances, indicating that he knew as little as they did.

"May be we should go somewhere a little more private, Remus", said the woman, indicating to all the watchful eyes around her.

"Sure Ailey", Remus replied. "Follow me. You too Harry".

Harry obeyed, observing the woman. She was quite unusual looking, and Harry suspected that she wasn't entirely human. Her long flowing hair seemed to change subtly between blonde and red, and her eyes were another story altogether. They were not one colour, but many at once, like a diamond caught in the light of the sun. They glistened as the woman walked, and Harry found it quite unnerving. Her skin was also different. If Harry looked at it strait on it looked perfectly normal, but if he saw it out of the corner of his eye it glowed a blue/green colour.

Remus laughed out loud when the entered the kitchen and he saw the way Harry was looking at the woman. "Don't worry Harry", he said with a smile. "Ailey is perfectly normal, she just makes herself look like that to put people off. It is one of the advantages of being one of the world's most powerful metamorphmagi."

Harry was still trying to work this out when the woman addressed him. "I've waited a long time to meet you, Harry", she said. Harry thought it was an odd statement to make, given that he had absolutely no idea who she was. The woman continued, "My name is Ailey."

"I'd tell you that my name was Harry, but it seems you already know", Harry replied bluntly. "Why have you been waiting so long to meet me?"

Ailey smiled, turning to Remus. "I like him. He's blunt, and he gets strait to the point." Turning back to Harry, she paused to survey him. "You really do look a lot like James."

Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah, I get that a lot", he said, "But you still didn't answer my question."

Ailey smiled again. "Do you really find it so hard to believe that there are people all over the world that want to meet you? You are, after all, the boy who lived."

"Don't I know it", muttered Harry, and Remus and Ailey laughed. "Look", he said. "Can we just stop playing cat and mouse? Just tell me who you are so I can stop trying to guess."

"I tend to agree with Harry", said Remus. "He should know who you are."

"Oh very well", said Ailey, with a mock sigh as she collapsed dramatically into a chair. "I'll tell you." Harry sat down, eager to listen.

"My name is Ailey Cooper, and I was at Hogwarts with your parents and Remus here. I was one of Lily's closest friend, actually." A small smile played across Harry's lips. Ailey knew his mum. "When we all left Hogwarts, your dad went of to be an auror, and Lil and I managed to get jobs working at the same place."

"And where did you work?" asked Harry, curios about what his mum had done for a living.

Ailey seemed uncertain about answering the question, and looked towards Remus, who said softly, "They worked in the Department of Mysteries, Harry." For a while Harry didn't speak. His mind immediately went back to thinking about the depressing events that had happened in the Department of Mysteries not even two months ago. As much as Harry didn't want to think about what had happened, he couldn't help but wonder if Ailey knew anything about the veil.

"Do you still work there?" he asked. "Are you still an unspeakable?"

"In a sense", answered Ailey, and when Harry said nothing, she continued. "Well, I do work for the department of mysteries, but in truth I haven't set foot in there in 15 years."

"How can you work for them if you don't actually go into the Department?" asked Harry, who was even more confused then he looked.

Ailey smiled. "It's quite a simple explanation actually", she said, her diamond-like eyes glistening. "I've been working in Australia, on a special project."

"What project could possibly mean you staying in Australia for 15 years?" asked Harry, curious as to what people actually did for the Department of Mysteries.

All Ailey did was close her mouth and smile when he asked. At first Harry didn't understand, but then, "Oh right, of course, Unspeakable."

"I'm sorry, Harry", she said, "but that is just the way it has to be."

"Figures that I would finally meet someone who could answer my questions, and you cant actually tell me anything!" Harry wasn't quite sure why he was getting so worked up, but he really hated it when people couldn't answer his questions.

"Harry", said Remus, "It's not fair for you to speak to Ailey like that, she is trying to help you."

"Not fair? I'll tell you what's not fair!! Not fair is me not having any parents, not fair is me finally finding my godfather, someone who treated me like a brother, and then loosing him too! Not fair is that I have this freaky little mind connection thing going with Voldemort, and not fair is that every one thinks I'm insane because of this! And what is really, really not fair, is that I am always being kept in the dark! I'm absolutely sick to death of people pretending to answer my questions, when really they have avoided the subject completely! _She _obviously can't answer any of my questions, so how, Remus, _how_, can she possibly be trying to help me?"

Both the adults looked completely shocked at his outburst, but at that moment, he didn't really give a rats ass. He stormed out of the kitchen, making sure to slam the door as loud as he could behind him. Walking passed the drawing room, he noticed all eyes turned towards him, so they had obviously heard too. Harry ignored them and continued on up to his room, where he slammed that door too.

Harry paced his room. Frustration filled his entire mind until he couldn't think strait. Harry placed his hands on the wall in front of him and started banging his head against it. Rather then relieve his frustration, it just gave him a dull ache in his head. When he stopped, a new emotion swept over him; guilt. What had he done? Why, _why_, did he always lose his temper like that? Harry hated having to give apologies, but he would give one to Ailey. She didn't deserve to be treated how he, Harry, had treated her.

So Harry walked back down the stairs, back passed the doorway of the drawing room, where every one promptly stopped talking to stare at him, and finally found himself outside the kitchen door. Harry took a deep breath, and opened the door, knocking before he did so.

Remus and Ailey were sitting with mugs of steaming tea in their hands, talking. They stopped their conversation when they saw it was Harry standing at the door.

"I'm sorry", Harry said. "You didn't deserve to be spoken to like that. I was just frustrated, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He paused. "Sorry", he said, again.

Neither of the adults spoke, so with a mental shrug, Harry turned and left the room, though much more calmly then the last time. When or if Ailey decided to forgive him for speaking like that, she would come to him.

Well there you go, hope you liked it, and please leave a review :)


	7. Owls with OWL's

Harry walked back upstairs to the bedroom he was going to be sharing with Ron for the rest of the summer. Ron and Ginny were going to be staying at Grimmauld place until term started, under Remus' care, while their parents worked for the order. Hermione's parents had also left her in the care of Remus.

When Harry entered the room, he found Hermione and Ron sitting on Ron's bed, and Ginny on Harry's. He raised an eyebrow at them.

"So", said Ginny, raising an eyebrow in return. "Are you going to tell us, or do we have to force it out of you?"

Harry laughed. "How did I know you guys would be wanting to know everything?" He sat down on the bed next to Ginny. "That was a lady called Ailey Cooper. She went to school with my parents, and then worked with my mum as an Unspeakable." Harry thought the fact that she was an Unspeakable sounded rather impressive. Hermione, however, voiced a question that clearly all three of them were dying to know the answer to.

"Yes, but why does she look like that?" she asked. "Is she completely...human?"

Harry laughed again, "Apparently. I'm not sure that she looks like that all the time. Remus said she's a really powerful metamorphagus."

"Wow", breathed Ron. Hermione and Ginny looked thoughtful.

"She must be really really powerful", said Hermione, "To be able to keep her hair changing colour, and have her eyes like that." Harry nodded in agreement.

"So then why did you start shouting?" asked Ginny. "And don't pretend that you don't know exactly what I'm talking about." Harry rolled his eyes, and proceeded to tell them about why he lost his temper, and about how he had apologized. He had just finished his story when he heard a tapping at the window.

Harry turned, and saw a big brown owl sitting on the windowsill, with three letters attached to its leg. Harry crossed the room and let the owl in, where Hermione proceeded to remove it's burden. Looking at the letters, she froze.

"What?" asked Ron and Harry simultaneously, going to look over her shoulder at the letters. There were 3, one each addressed to Ron, Hermione, and Harry, with the Hogwarts symbol on the back. Underneath the symbol were two very neatly printed words. OWL Results.

Harry and Ron reached out shaking hands to grab their letters, and then all 3 of them stood staring at them for a long time.

"For god's sake!" said Ginny, exasperated. "If you don't open them soon, I'll open them for you!" Ron, Hermione and Harry promptly started opening their letters. Harry's read;

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Below are the results for your OWL examinations. Please read them carefully, and note that the subjects you will be permitted to take as a NEWT class depend on these results. The key to you grades is as follows; OOutstanding, EExceeds expectations, AAcceptable, PPoor, DDreadful. _

_Defense Against the Dark Arts: O_

_Transfiguration: O_

_Herbology: O_

_Divination: D_

_Care of Magical Creatures: O_

_Astronomy: A_

_History of Magic: P_

_Potions: O_

_Charms: O_

Harry starred. How on earth had he managed to even pass potions, let alone get an O? Once he thought about it, he realized the exam had been a lot easier without Snape leering at him like he always did in class. He did better in astronomy then he thought he would, but his marks in divination and History of Magic were about what he was expecting.

_You should note that you are expected to undertake 5 NEWT classes, and it would be best if you chose those subjects where you got better marks. Please send an owl to your head of house as soon as possible with a list of the 5 NEWT classes you wish to take._

_Congratulations on your results, _

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall. _

All in all, Harry was rather pleased with his results, and he looked over to Ron and Hermione to see how they had done. They both looked rather pleased with themselves.

"Well?" he asked. "How did you go?"

Ron, it turned out, received marks very similar to Harry's. Though he didn't do as well as Harry in potions, he had still scraped an O. Ron looked slightly put out that Harry had done better in potions, but then pointed at Harry's letter and said with a smile, "I got better then you in History of Magic though!" Harry kindly didn't point out that he had left the exam halfway through.

Unlike the two boys, Hermione had gotten an owl in every single subject. In fact, she managed to get an O in every subject bar one, astronomy, where she got an E. As Hermione read the rest of her letter though, her face went from a smile to a look of great concern.

"What?" asked Ron, though he didn't really seem too concerned.

"Oh", said Hermione. "I was just wondering how on earth I'm meant to pick out only 5 subjects." Ron and Harry carefully avoided eye contact in the hopes of keeping a strait face, though when Ginny burst out laughing they quite happily joined in.

The next morning, Harry rose much earlier then he usually did, and, not being able to get back to sleep, he decided to go down to the kitchen and make himself breakfast. When he entered the kitchen he found Ailey sitting at the table, though she had dropped her majestic disguise. All of her features looked the same, though her hair remained the same shade of blonde, her skin no longer glowed, and her eyes were an unremarkable shade of blue.

"Morning Harry", she said with a yawn. "I was just about to make pancakes, do you want some?"

"Sure", replied Harry, glad she was speaking to him. "Do you need a hand?"

"No, you sit, I'll be fine", she said, as she took out her wand. With a flick of her wrist, a frying pan came soaring out of the cupboard, and a whole heap of ingredients came rushing out of the pantry to pour themselves into a bowl.

"Err...about last night", Harry begun. "I-"

Ailey cut him off. "It's ok Harry, I get it. I know how frustrated you must be, so I can't blame you for lashing out. And besides I'm used to that temper by now, Lily was famous for it." Ailey's eyes were full of laughter, and Harry smiled.

The ingredients had finished mixing themselves now, and with another flick of her wand, Ailey sent some of the mix into the frying pan. Within minutes, Harry sat in front of a large steaming pile of pancakes.

They ate in silence until Ailey spoke. "I want to tell you something I didn't get a chance to last night, Harry." When he didn't speak she continued. "You asked how I could possible help you, remember?" Harry nodded. "Well", she went on, "The reason I am here is because Dumbledore asked me to come back to Hogwarts to teach."

"What will you be teaching?" asked Harry, thinking that maybe his dreams had come true and Snape had retired.

"Oh, well I wont actually be teaching a class. Dumbledore asked me to come and teach you."

"Teach me what exactly?" Harry asked, not sure why Dumbledore thought he needed private tutoring.

"Well, mainly to teach you things that you wont lean in you NEWT classes, like things that will help with the war against Voldemort. Also, I am to continue your Occlumency training.

"Wait", said Harry, confused. "Does that mean that you are going to teach me to fight Voldemort and Death Eaters and stuff like that?" Nobody had really taught him to fight before. Sure, he had been taught to defend himself, but this was different.

"Yes, I will teach you to fight. See, that is how I'll be helping you", she said. "Though tonight I leave for Hogwarts to start planning classes, so we wont be able to start until term actually commences." She looked down at Harry's plate. "Eat the rest of you breakfast, before it turns cold."

It was a week before term was due to starts, and Harry was sitting in the drawing room with Ron and Hermione, when Ginny came bounding into the room.

"Hogwarts letter!" she announced, handing them each a letter. They contained the usual notices about term starting on the 1st of September, as well as a booklist with all the books they would need for the subjects they had chosen to study. Harry had chosen Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology. There was also an extra bit of parchment in Harry's letter, which he unfolded to read.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_Since Professor Umbridge has left the school, all inquisitorial rules and bans have been lifted. Therefore, as you are no longer banned from playing quidditch, I have the honor of offering you the position of Gryffindor team captain. You will need to be holding tryouts fairly soon, to replace all the players that have graduated, so I suggest you put up a sign in the common room as soon as possible._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall._

_P.S. I rather enjoy having the Quidditch Cup in my possession, so do please train hard to ensure we don't lose it. _

Harry looked up at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who were busy discussing when they ought to visit Diagon Alley to get school supplies.

"Guess what!?" said Harry, interrupting Ron, "I got made quidditch captain!"

"Well done Harry", said Ginny, looking genuinely happy for him.

"Yeah mate, that's awesome!" said Ron, though he looked slightly jealous.

Harry turned to Hermione, who as yet hadn't said anything. "Aren't you happy for me?"

"Oh of course I am, Harry", she said. "I just hope it doesn't interfere with your school work." Ron and Ginny laughed, while Harry rolled his eyes.

"Come on!" said Ginny, tugging at Harry's sleeve. "Lets go ask Remus when we can go to Diagon Alley!"


	8. A trip down Diagon Alley

"_Harry", called Ginny. "Harry, come on! You want to see them again don't you?" Again Harry was having a strange in which Ginny lead him down a maze of stone passageways, dimly lit by flickering torches hanging of brackets attached to the walls._

_Ginny ran fast, and Harry followed, though soon he was completely lost and had no idea as to which way he had come. The chase went on for what seemed like hours, until eventually Ginny slowed down, and come to a complete halt. They stood outside the door, which Harry vaguely recognized as the one from his previous dream. _

"_You know the place to which it leads", Ginny whispered to him. "Open it."_

_Harry obeyed, and true enough found himself once again in the room inside the department of mysteries, and once again Ginny took him by the hand and pulled him down stone step after stone step, until he stood barely 3 feet from the dais. _

"_I know you long to speak to them, but to him most of all", Ginny whispered. "Your thoughts constantly dwell on it. You blame yourself, so you feel the need to apologize to him. This is your chance Harry. This is your chance to speak to Sirius. All you need to do is pull back the veil."_

_Harry stared at Ginny. This was his chance to speak to Sirius again. It was a simple thing for him to do really, I mean, all he had to do was pull back a veil. So simple, and yet, something inside him held back, something told him he shouldn't do it. So he didn't. Ginny looked at him with disappointment in her eyes, so he apologized before closing his eyes in his dream and waking up in the real world_

Harry had completely forgotten about his first dream. He supposed it was because he had been sidetracked by his birthday celebrations. Now though, he could clearly remember both dreams, and they made him uneasy. How did the Ginny in his dream know exactly how he felt? It was true; he did long to speak to Sirius again. The thing Harry didn't understand though was why his dream self had held back.

Harry was woken from his thoughts when Ron gave a particularly loud snore from the bed next to him. Sighing, Harry went down to get some breakfast.

When Harry entered the kitchen, he found Remus sitting at a chair in front of the fire, a mug of tea in his hand.

"Something wrong, Harry?" asked Remus, seeing the troubled look on Harry's face. Harry thought about Remus' question. Something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger of what exactly it was. Obviously it had something to do with the dreams he had had, but Harry didn't really know what bothered him more; the fact that he was dreaming about the department of mysteries, about Ginny, or about talking to Sirius. Remembering that so far he had always felt better after talking to Remus, Harry decided to tell him about the dreams.

"I've been having weird dreams", said Harry, and ten proceeded to tell Remus every detail about the dreams that he could remember. When Harry finished his story, Remus sat deep in thought for a couple of minutes.

"Harry, I'm not sure that there is anything abnormal about these dreams at all", Remus said, "Obviously you think about Sirius a lot, so that may be why you dream about getting the chance to talk to him, but like I said; I'm not sure. I think I should talk to Dumbledore about it, as long as that is ok by you."

Harry thought about it. Dumbledore hadn't spoken to Harry all summer so far, so why would he care if Harry had a dream that _might _be a little strange? Nonetheless, Harry had been thinking all summer about what Dumbledore had said at the end of last year, and he still trusted the old man with his life.

"Ok, sure", said Harry. "Will I get to see Dumbledore before term starts though?"

Remus looked at him. "I expect so Harry, but he even more busy then he usually is, with one thing or another." Harry shot Remus a look asking what those things were, but Remus merely smiled and shook his head.

"Go get dressed Harry, we leave for Diagon Alley at 9.30." With that, Harry went upstairs to wake Ron.

"I just remembered why I hat traveling by floo powder!" said Harry, stepping out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron. "I get covered in soot and I always manage to break my glasses!" He started brushing himself off with a brush the Remus handed him, while Hermione repaired his glasses, which had been in two pieces.

Ron laughed at him, and Harry shot him a dirty look. "Sorry mate", said Ron, "but I would've thought you'd be used to it by now"

Remus led them out of the Leaky Cauldron outside into Diagon Alley, where he took them aside. "Dumbledore's orders; none of you are to separate from me. Especially you Harry", he said. "A lot of security measures have had to be put in place for you all to be able to come here. There are order members watching us at all times incase something goes wrong. Don't blow it. Stick with me, or suffer Dumbledore's displeasure."

He stared them all in the eyes, until Ginny let out a giggle. "Oh I'm sorry Remus" she said when Remus glared at her. "I'm am taking this seriously, it's just that you sound so much like a teacher when you talk like that."

They continued on walking down Diagon Alley until they reached Gringotts. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley had already given their children money, as had the Granger's but Harry still had to get some money out to pay for his school supplies.

After that, they went to Flourish and Blotts to get all their schoolbooks. Harry noticed how much thicker this years lot of books were, now that they were studying for NEWTs. He also noticed that, as thick as the others were, his potions book was by far the biggest.

Ron had noticed too, as he was also taking potions. "Why do I get a slightly ominous feeling about our year ahead in potions?" he said. "I'm going to fail!"

Harry laughed. "Don't worry mate, I'll be right behind you!"

"You know", said Hermione, "you could always sign up to get some extra help from Professor Snape, if you have trouble."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione", he said, "They day I sign up for extra work is the day when all the house elves start asking for pay. It's never going to happen." Hermione stomped off to join Ginny on the other side of the store.

"I think you just insulted her", said Harry. "You know how into S.P.E.W she is."

"Oops", muttered Ron.

Harry had already paid for his book and was waiting for the others to do the same, when he noticed a section of Flourish and Blotts he had never seen before. It was just a little shelf over in the corner of the shop, and the sign above it read 'Necromancy'.

Harry ambled over to it, and glanced over the book, more out of curiosity then anything else. None of them looked terribly interesting, but then one book in particular caught his eye. It was bound in black velvet, with golden embossed letters that read 'Talking with the Dead: ways of communicating with those that have passed on, by Gerard Nullem.'

Curious, Harry picked it up and flipped through it. He was suddenly filled with excitement. This was how he could talk to Sirius, and to his parents! Glancing over at the others he noticed that Remus, Ron and Hermione there were talking near the door, not paying attention to him, so he went over to the counter and paid for the book, before quickly stuffing it into his bag.

Walking back to join the others, he didn't realize that Ginny had watched the whole thing, and was now looking at him with a face full of concern.

After a full days shopping at Diagon Alley, they all returned home with a lot of shopping bags, and their purses considerably lighter then they had been previously. They all sat down to dinner, which was cooked by Remus who was assisted by Hermione. Afterwards they all sat themselves down into the drawing room, with very full bellies.

Harry played a couple of games of chess against Ron, in which Ron managed to beat him every single time. Harry was rather anxious and would have liked nothing more then to go up to his room and read his book. Finally, when Ron had just finished laughing at him over the previous game, in which Harry's pieces had risen against him, not liking his decisions, Harry stood up.

"I'm going to bed", he announced. "I'm really tired". With that he bounded up the stairs to his room, where he sat down on his bed, not in the least bit tired. He took out the book he had secretly bought at Flourish and Blotts and began to read it with desperation, taking in every word, determined to be able to speak to his parents and Sirius.

His hopes were crushed when he realized that it was not as easy as he had always assumed. It required a lot of power, skill, and extremely precise timing. He was interrupted from his thoughts when the door suddenly opened. He didn't have time to hide his book before the intruder asked softly, "What are you up to? I thought you were tired." It was Ginny. When she saw the guilty look in his eyes she quickly crossed the room and grabbed the book off him.

"Talking with the de..." she trailed off. Harry felt sure that she was going to run down stairs to Remus and tell on him, so he was extremely shocked by what she said next.

"Can I help?"


	9. A talk with Dumbledore

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Harry stared. "...Beg your pardon?"

"You heard me", Ginny said. "I want to help." She was looking Harry directly in the eyes.

Harry was fairly confused. "Why do you want to help me do something that we both know we aren't allowed to be doing, and that could go horribly wrong?"

Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, sitting down next to him on the bed. "Because I know that nothing I say or do is going to stop you from doing this, and I also know how complicated and dangerous this branch of magic can be. I figure if I can't stop you I should join you. We all know the trouble you would get into without me." She was grinning. It must be the Weasley gene in her, thought Harry.

"You don't even know who I want to speak to", said Harry, raising an eyebrow.

Again, Ginny rolled her eyes. "I figure it's either Sirius, your mum, your dad, or all three. Unless you were planning on speaking to Elvis, but if that's that case I take back my offer to help." Again she was grinning, a sight which made Harry's stomach jolt happily. He couldn't help but smile back.

"You're spoiling my fun", said Harry, laughing. "I had a lot of important questions to ask Elvis!"

Harry and Ginny spent the rest of the evening reading through the book, deciding which spells to use (for there were numerous amounts of them in the book), and making plans for when exactly they were going to do this. Obviously it would have to wait until they got to school, because they weren't allowed to use magic until then.

"We need to do it when everyone is busy with something else", said Ginny. "We don't want to be interrupted, or the spell could backfire and kill us all."

"Yeah", agreed Harry. "In that case, I think our best bet would be to do it on Halloween, when everyone is busy at the feast. Everyone will be so busy that they won't even notice if we're not there."

"Agreed", said Ginny. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going up to bed before Ron and Hermione come up here and start asking questions."

It was 2 days before school was due to start again, and Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were up in Buckbeak's room, talking excitedly about the year ahead, and everything they were planning on doing.

"May be we can get our hands on some firewhiskey", said Ron. "And then we can throw a house party!"

"Ronald Weasley!" exclaimed Hermione. "You will do nothing of the sort! What about all the first and second years. They're all too young to see a bunch of the sixth years ped on firewhiskey, and that's forgetting the fact that _you are a prefect!_"

Ron didn't look ashamed of himself in any way shape or form, in fact he continued to look thoughtful. "Yeah I spose you're right", he said, to Hermione's relief. "If we could find a way to get the first and second years out of the common room though..." Hermione looked livid.

Ron was saved from Hermione yelling at him when there was a knock at the door, and it opened. Dumbledore stepped into the room with a smile on his face. It appeared that he had just heard everything Ron had said about firwhiskey and house parties, though he chose not to say anything about it.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you all up here", he said. "Or rather, that's where Remus said I would find you." He gave them all a grin. He went over to face Buckbeak and bowed regally. Buckbeak waited a few minutes before doing the same, and allowing Dumbledore to stroke his head gently. Dumbledore whispered an incantation, and a bucket of dead rats appeared, to Buckbeak's obvious pleasure. Dumbledore turned back to the four of them.

"I just wanted a quick word", he said. "In fact, I need to ask you all a favor. I trust you all remember the warning the sorting hat gave us at the beginning of last year?" the four of them nodded. "Well what I wanted to ask you was whether you would consider running the DA again this year." They all looked at Harry, who stared at Dumbledore.

"I'd really like to do it, sir, but I don't understand what that has to do with the sorting hat's warning." Harry might not of understood, but clearly Hermione did.

"Because the DA will promote house unity", she said. "It's a way to get people of different houses together to fight for the same cause". Dumbledore looked at her appraisingly.

"Very good Ms. Granger", he said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I just wanted a quick word with Harry."

When the others had left the room, Harry looked to Dumbledore. "Sir?"

"Don't worry, Harry", said Dumbledore. "You aren't in trouble". Harry was relieved. He had been wondering if maybe Dumbledore had found out about what he and Ginny were planning. Dumbledore want on; "Remus has spoken to me about a couple of dreams that you had, and were concerned about." Harry nodded, and then recounted his dreams for Dumbledore.

"So?" asked Harry when he had finished.

Dumbledore had stared raptly at Harry throughout his story, and now didn't look away from his eyes as he thought. "I agree with Remus, I don't think it is anything to worry about", he said. "If they change though, or occur more frequently, let me know, and we'll look into it further."

Harry nodded. "Ok".

"Good", said Dumbledore. "Now I must be going, lots to do before term starts up again, I'm afraid. I'll see you in a couple of days, Harry." Dumbledore went to walk out of the room, but stopped when he reached the doorway.

"Please tell Mr. Weasley that it would be a very bad idea for him to try to smuggle firewhiskey into the school", he said, with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "It has, of course, been tried before, and to no avail. If he doesn't believe you, remind him what happened to his older brothers when they tried to get over my age line during the tri-wizard tournament. A much worse fate meets those he try to get over the ant-alcohol protections I have placed on the school". With that, Dumbledore left, closing the door behind him.

Harry made a mental not to tell Ron about Dumbledore's warning. It would be an amusing thing to see Ron with a beard, or, as Dumbledore had hinted, perhaps something worse.


	10. Back to Hogwarts

Many thanks to those who eft me reviews, i love reading them!! I hope you like this chapter, because i had fun writing it!

All too soon Harry and the others were lugging their trunks down the stairs of Grimmauld place, apprehensive about starting another year at Hogwarts.

"I wonder what our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be like?" said Ginny, as they all hopped into a car with Remus. The malicious grin on her face clearly said that she was prepared to cause as much mischief as possible if that person didn't meet her expectations.

"Well we can't get much worse then Umbridge was, can we?" said Harry, shuddering at the thought. He didn't think he could survive another year with someone like Umbridge.

"Oh", said Remus mysteriously, "I think you'll be surprised when you see this year's teacher." The others pressed him for information, but he would say nothing more on the topic.

They were all sitting in a magically enlarged car, being driven to King's Cross station by Kingsley. It was a rather uneventful ride, which must have been due to the magical charms placed on the car, keeping it safe, rather then Kingsley's driving; he worse then an intoxicated learner driver.

Soon they were unloading their trunks and putting them onto trolleys, before crossing through the magical barrier onto platform 9 ¾. They all went to store their luggage in a compartment and then came back out again to say their goodbyes.

"Goodbye Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny", said Remus, shaking each of their hands in turn. "Have a good year, wont you? And please at least try to keep out of trouble!"

Harry laughed. "That's rich, coming from a marauder!" Remus laughed too.

"Well I said _try_", Remus said. He looked at all of them and realized that they were looking rather upset at leaving. "Don't look so down, I expect we'll be seeing each other sooner then you expect...what with one thing or another." Again they pressed him for information, but again he would say nothing more.

At lunch time the trolley lady came around with a trolley full of food and lollies. Harry brought them all a stack of cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs, and Bertie Bott's every flavor beans. The morning had passed quietly. With Ron and Hermione on prefect duties, Harry and Ginny were left alone to continue working out plans for Halloween. Some of their friends had dropped by to say hello, and Neville stayed for a while, talking with them about the summer. Hermione and Ron had returned just before lunch, looking exhausted after checking on all the excitable first years.

"I swear", said Ron, biting into a Chocolate Frog, "That those first years get littler every year. They're midgets!"

Hermione looked like she was trying not to laugh. "Ron, you can't call them that, it's not their fault they're still little."

"Yeah well, at least I don't torture them like Malfoy does", Ron said darkly. "Do you know I just found him in the corridor, pushing around a first year Hufflepuff, making him clean the floor with his own robes when there wasn't anything on the floor in the first place!"

Hermione looked grim. "Well at least he's not a prefect anymore."

"What?" said Harry, a grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah well apparently on Dumbledore's orders, Snape took his badge off him because he was helping out Umbridge with the Inquisitorial squad", said Ron, a look of absolute glee on his face.

Harry smiled. The year ahead might not be so bad after all.

When the skies fell dark they all changed into their Hogwarts robes, ready to get off the train. For once it wasn't raining, so they didn't get wet trying to get into the thestral drawn carriages. Harry managed to get into a carriage with Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Dean, and Seamus. Both Dean and Seamus bombarded Harry with questions about when or if the DA would be starting up again. Harry told them both with enthusiasm that they would be starting up as soon as he could find a day to suit everyone.

When they reached the front step, they joined the crowed squeezing through the oak front doors and into the Entrance Hall. Peeves was there, busy trying to drop water bombs filled with black ink onto unsuspecting students. Quickly seeking refuge in the Great Hall, Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, in between Ron and Ginny. Hermione, who sat opposite them, was busy scanning the teacher's table. Harry and the others quickly did the same.

"Where's the new Defense teacher?" asked Ginny, who had spotted the empty seat.

Harry didn't have time to ponder this question more, before Dumbledore stood up. There was immediate silence as everyone waited for Dumbledor to speak. "Let the sorting begin", he said, as McGonagall placed the three-legged stool in front of the teacher's table.

"Abarmly, Eric", called Professor McGonagall, as a nervous and slightly green looking first year stepped forward to be sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Wait on", said Harry, to the other around him, "What happened to the sorting Hat's song?"

"Didn't you all hear?" asked Nearly Headless Nick, who was sitting a little way down from Harry. "See, the sorting hat thinks it's wrong to break every one up into different houses, because it just causes inter house arguments, so it nearly refused to even sort the first years. Dumbledore forced it to sort them all, after reminding it of it's duty to the founders, but it flat out refused to sing a song, and nothing Dumbledore could say would make it reconsider."

Harry turned his attention back to the sorting, and groaned when he realized they were still only up to the D's. He was hungry. Slowly, very slowly, the line of first years got shorter, and eventually Dumbledore stood up again.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I understand some of you are excruciatingly hungry (Ron's stomach had just given a particularly audible grumble) so for now, all I have to say is; the chicken is delicious." With that, the tables were suddenly covered in every sort of culinary delight imaginable.

Ron began to eat at an astronomical rate, and the others followed, though at a much slower rate. Harry took Dumbledore's advice and ate some of the chicken, which was as good as the headmaster made it sound.

Just as everyone was finishing off their dessert, the doors to the great hall opened. Seeing who it was, Harry nearly choked on his custard pie. It was Remus.

"What's he doing here?" whispered Ginny, to which the others merely shrugged. Hermione, on the other hand, looked like she had just realized something important, and was now smiling satisfactorily to herself

"What?" asked Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes, still grinning. "If you haven't already figured it out, you can just wait until Dumbledore tells you."

"Tells me what?" pressed Harry, but Hermione was prevented from answering when Dumbledore stood up and met Remus just in front of the teacher's table. They shared a few quiet words before Remus sat down between Professors McGonagall and Vector. Dumbledore returned to his position and waited for every one to be quiet.

"Once again, I welcome you all back to Hogwarts. I hate to spoil such a lovely evening with a lecture, but it is something I must do." Harry had a feeling that he knew what Dumbledore was going to say. "I know most of you are aware of the current situation. For those of you who may have been living under rocks for the last year, let me inform you. Voldemort has returned." Dumbledore waited patiently as nearly everyone in the hall winced or gasped at the mention of the most feared dark wizard of all time. "Voldemort has returned, and the entire wizarding world is once again living in fear. If you all look around you at the people in this room, you can see the relatives of the victims of the last war. Well this is another war, and there are going to be even more innocent victims. I know you do not wish to hear it, but you must realize the truth. We are not safe. No one is. While Voldemort still stands, every one is at risk." No one said a word. A lot of people appeared not to be breathing. "The only way we can stand against external penetration is to stand together. United we must fight, for if we are divided _we will fall_. Look around you. What do you see? 'Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins' is what some of you will say. That is not what I see. I see sitting in front of me not four divided masses, but one bunch of _students_. Every single on of you is a student, but not just that; every single one of you is a _person._ You all have different personalities yes, but on the inside, you are all the same; made out of the same stuff. Remember that. Remember the sorting hat's warning last year. Stand united!"

Nobody moved. Nobody said a word for a long time. Eventually Dumbledore decided it was time to move on. "On a happier note", he said, "I have another announcement. Please join me in welcoming back Professor Lupin, who will once again be taking up the position of Defense against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a round of applause, in which Harry and his friends clapped hard, but they were the only ones showing enthusiasm. A lot of people were looking at Remus like scared little rabbits. Of course, thought Harry, they all know he's a werewolf!

Once the very quiet applause had died down, Dumbledore was about to speak again when he was interrupted by a sneering, cold voice from the Slytherin table.

"Wait 'till my father hears about this, letting that werewolf teach again." It was Malfoy. Those who hadn't been taught by Professor Lupin before and hadn't known he was a werewolf were now looking like he was going to eat them right then and there.

"Scared Malfoy?" Harry shouted across the room at him. The Gryffindors chucked appreciatively.

"Draco isn't scared of anything!" said Pansy Parkinson, standing at Malfoy's defense. "Especially not an overgrown dog like that one", she continued, nodding towards Remus.

Ginny stood beside Harry. "Well he should be scared", she said. "Who has he got to hide behind now? His father's in Azkaban- he was a death eater, just so the rest of you know" she said, addressing the rest of the student body, before turning back to Malfoy and Pansy. "Besides, Professor Lupin is a bigger man then you'll ever grow up to be, so get lost, you slimy little ferret!" Harry joined in the rest of the Gryffindors and some of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as they laughed at Malfoy.

"That's enough!" said McGonagall, rising out of her seat. "Quiet! Potter, Weasley, Malfoy and Parkinson, you will meet here when everyone else has been dismissed."

After a few minutes silence, in which Ginny and Harry grinned at each other, Dumbledore stood cleared his throat and began to speak again. "Students are reminded that the forest on the edge of the school grounds is forbidden, and Mr. Filch has asked me to remind you all about the long list of banned objects which can be found outside of his office. This year that list has grown by about 105 things, thanks to the hard work of Fred and George Weasley." Dumbledore waited as the applause for the two troublemakers died down. "Also, another year marks the start of another Quidditch season, so anyone interested should see their house captain about try-out times. Now I am sure you are very tired, so please head of to your dormitories, ready for a fun filled day of learning tomorrow. Good night."

Harry and Ginny remained seated as all the students stood up to leave. Hermione shot them a warning look that clearly said she didn't approve of what they had done. Ron patted them on the back jokingly, pretending to be sympathetic. Finally, when everyone had left, including all the teachers apart from Snape, McGonagall, Remus and Dumbledore, Harry and Ginny went to stand in front of them. Malfoy and Pansy joined them moments later, looking grumpy.

"Did you listen to nothing I just said?" asked Dumbledore, though Harry didn't think he was really looking for an answer. "After all I just said about house unity, about standing together, and you go and start shouting at each other across the Great Hall. Act you age. You are fifth and sixth years, I look to you all to set an example for the younger students. A fine example you set, acting so immaturely." Dumbledore wasn't shouting; he didn't need to. He got the message across well enough just by the angry glint in his eyes, and the disappointment in his voice. "You will all be docked 25 house points for your serious lack of maturity." It sounded like they had been dismissed, so they all turned to go.

"Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Parkinson, wait a moment please," said Dumbledore, before he turned to Harry and Ginny. "You two may go". Both Harry and Ginny quickly ran out of the hall and shut the door behind them.

When the both started looking through their pockets it appeared they both had the same idea. When they had both found their sets of extendable ears, they placed them under the door and listened.

"Your behavior was nothing short of inexcusable", they heard Dumbledore say. "How dare you speak that way to a teacher? I will take a further 50 points each from Slytherin in the hopes of teaching you some respect, and you shall both serve detention with Professor Lupin tomorrow night at 5. You needn't worry Mr. Malfoy, it's not a full moon." Harry and Ginny grinned at each other.

From the sounds of it, Dumbledore had just dismissed Malfoy and Pansy, because they heard footsteps approaching the door. Quickly they dashed to the nearest statue and hid behind it. They waited silently until the Slytherns headed off to the dungeons, before they in turn headed up to Gryffindor tower.


	11. The first day of term

Sorry for the delay, things have been busy. I hope you like this chapter, and please dont forget to leave a review!

Harry didn't have a very good nights sleep, he walked in and out of dreams that once again involved Ginny, the veil, and talking to Sirius. After waking up at about 4 o'clock in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep, Harry decided to head down to sit in front of the fire in the common room.

Harry could safely say that he had been so busy over the summer holidays that he hadn't really given any thought to the prophecy. His friends had never asked him anything about it Harry assumed this was because they knew it had smashed, and therefore didn't think that he knew anything about what the prophecy contained. Harry had neglected to inform them that Dumbledore had been able to tell him the exact words of the prophecy, and he was not sure if he was ever going to tell them- he already got so much attention from being the bloody "boy-who-lived" that he didn't really want any more. Besides, if he told his friends, wouldn't that just put them in more danger? Voldemort had gone all out last year to find out the exact words of the prophecy, so if he knew that Harry's friends knew, wouldn't he just torture them until they told?

No, thought Harry, it was much better just to leave them in the dark; it was for their own good.

Another thing that Harry hadn't really thought much about were his lessons with Ailey. He figured that she would be in touch soon about when they were going to start their lessons together, but Harry wondered why she hadn't been at the feast the previous night.

Before Harry knew it, the sun had risen, so he decided to go down to breakfast. When he entered the great hall he found it completely devoid of any students, while there where a few disgruntled looking teachers sitting at the staff table. He helped himself to bacon and eggs, and was joined a short time later by an extremely grumpy looking Ron, and a disgustingly cheerful Hermione.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Harry, as though it was a sin to be this cheerful at such an early hour of the morning.

"Lessons!" said Hermione, as though it was scandalous _not _to be looking forward to more classes, which would all probably be a lot harder then any they had done in their first five years at Hogwarts. Ron grunted at this, and Harry wisely refrained from commenting at all.

Ron and Harry ate their breakfast in silence, while Hermione kept talking about what their classes would be like, and more students continued to enter the hall in dribs and drabs.

Hermione was interrupted from talking about how she had already completely read all of her textbooks for this year when owls started flocking into the hall to deliver the morning post. Harry looked up as a large tawny owl delivered the _daily prophet_ to Hermione, who paid the owl immediately and immersed herself behind the paper. Harry was about to ask if there was anything interesting in it, but he was distracted when he felt a sharp pain in his little finger.

Harry looked down to see an unfamiliar black owl with his beak wrapped around his finger, and a letter addressed to him tied around its leg. Harry removed the owl's burden, and quickly opened the letter to see neat, curvy handwriting.

_Dear Harry,_

_I have had a good look at your timetable for this year, and have decided that the best time for us to hold our extra lessons would be on a Wednesday at 2pm until 4.30pm. You will be able to find my office on the forth floor, opposite the portrait of Sylvester the Slimy. Hope you have a wonderful first day of classes,_

_Ailey_

_P.S Please be prompt, because if I have to come looking for you, believe me, I wont be happy!_

Harry sighed. It looked like this year was going to be very busy. Aside from homework he would get from all his classes, he would also be having these extra lessons with Ailey, organizing times for quidditch tryouts and then practices, and then on top of all that, he would have to find time to run the DA. He might have to take a leaf out of Hermione's book and start using a time-turner. He shuddered at that idea; it hadn't caused Hermione anything other then trouble!

Things started to look up when Harry got his timetable:

_Monday:_

_9.00- 11.00 Potions_

_1.00- 2.00 Charms_

_2.00- 3.00 Defense against the dark arts_

_Tuesday:_

_10.00- 12.00 Transfiguration_

_1.00- 2.00 Potions_

_Wednesday:_

_9.00- 11.00 Charms_

_Thursday:_

_9.00- 11.00 Defense against the dark arts_

_1.00- 2.00 Herbology_

_Friday:_

_10.00- 11.00 Herbology_

_1.00- 2.00 Transfiguration_

It looked like Harry would have a lot more free time then he thought. It appeared that he only had one 2-hour class and one 1-hour class of each subject; the least amount of class time he had ever had.

"Cool!" said Ron, who had obviously just realized the same thing as Harry. "Look at all the free time we have! I don't start till 1 o'clock on a Friday; I can sleep in till lunch!"

Hermione settled Harry and Ron with a very cold stare. "It isn't _free _time. You have been given extra time to complete all the work you will be getting this year! Believe me, once we you realize the amount of work we'll be getting, you wont be able to afford a sleep-in and still expect to pass the subject!"

Harry thought this might actually make sense, but Ron looked like he wouldn't believe it till it happened, and even then he wouldn't admit to being wrong. He didn't say anything in retaliation though, which Harry found strange; picking a fight with Hermione was one of Ron's favorite pass times.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione's timetables. It appeared they were all in the same Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense against the dark arts classes, while Ron had Care of magical creature and Hermione had Ancient runes in place of Harry's Herbology.

When all three had finished their breakfast, and Hermione had finished reading the paper (which apparently had nothing of interest in it), they all headed up to their dorms to get their books, before heading off to potions. Harry sighed, he had hoped that he would be able to quit potions as soon as it was no longer compulsory, but with his dreams to become an auror, he would have to put up with Snape for the rest of his life at Hogwarts.

Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the dungeons and stood outside the classroom with the rest of their classmates. It appeared that not too many people had managed to get an O on their potions exam (or they just didn't want to take the class), because there were only 9 people waiting outside the classroom- the smallest class Harry had ever been in. Apart from the three Gryffindors, there was Ernie McMillan and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, Michael Corner and Terry Boot from Ravenclaw, and Draco Malfoy and another female Sytherin whose name Harry didn't know.

"Potty! Weasel!" said Malfoy, in mock surprise. "I thought you had to get an Outstanding to make it into this NEWT's class? Naturally, the mudblood managed to get in though. You obviously still haven't learnt you place in the wizarding world, Granger." Malfoy proceeded to spit on the ground at Hermione's feet. Harry drew his wand, anger levels rising. As if following Harry's lead, all of the other members of the class (who just so happened to be members of the DA) drew their wands as well, pointing them at Malfoy.

"Remember that group you helped to bust last year Malfoy; the DA?" asked Harry, his voice firm. "Well guess what, it just so happens that we're still in action, and in this class, Malfoy, there are 7 of us, and only 2 of you. If I were you I'd watch my step, because believe me, if you put one toe out of line we'll know, and then not even Snape will be able to stop us from hexing that ugly little smirk of you face." Malfoy didn't say anything. In fact, he looked like he was seriously considering Harry's words. The rest of the class kept their wands on Malfoy for a good while, until Harry lowered his and the rest followed.

After a few more minutes wait, in which the DA members continued to glare at Malfoy, Snape finally opened the classroom door, and they filed in. Harry made sure to get a seat up the back, in between Ron and Hermione.

"This is where the hard work starts", said Snape, who had never been one for idle chitchat. "Everything you thought you used to know about potions is about to get a million times harder." Harry gulped. Beside him, Ron was sliding down in his seat as if trying to hide from Snape's penetrating glare.

"It amazes me how some of you even got the OWL results to be in this class, so let me warn you now: the minute you start to slip behind in this class you will be out that door faster then you can say 'Hogwarts'." Harry was very much tempted to give up and walk out the door right then and there, but he wouldn't let Snape get to him.

"Now that the warnings are done with, let us begin today's lesson."

The lesson that followed was bar far the hardest lesson Harry had ever had the displeasure of sitting though. The potion Snape had set them to work on was incredibly complex, and very fiddly. Not only did the ingredients have to be added one at a time (and there were 37 different ingredients!), but also they all had to be added at very specific times, and all the while the potion had to be stirred at 3-second intervals.

By the end of the class Harry was very much exhausted, and had a splitting headache, lucky for him though, his next class, charms, didn't start until lunchtime. He left the classroom and headed up to the common room. Snape had given them all a five-foot long essay to right about the potion they had just made (or attempted to make, in Harry and Ron's case), and Harry intended to start it in his break. Hermione was right; he wouldn't be able to afford free time in his breaks.


	12. Defense against the dark arts

**Hi all, sorry for the slight delay, but things have been busy. Hope you like the update, and please please please please please leave a review :)**

Harry spent nearly his entire break in the library, researching for his potions essay. Trust Snape to give them a ridiculously long and complex essay on the first day back! Consequently, he went to lunch feeling he had achieved absolutely nothing, because he hadn't even managed to put quill to parchment yet

At lunch he met up with Hermione and Ron, who had just come back from Ancient Runes or Care of magical creatures respectively.

"Honestly!" said Hermione as she piled some potato onto her plate. "Ernie McMillan...urgh. He's starting to get so...annoying."

"'E's always been 'noying, 'Mione", said Ron thickly, before he swallowed his mouthful. "I don't know why you didn't notice before." Hermione looked rather disgusted at Ron's eating habits, but chose not to reprimand him about speaking with his mouth full.

"I know he's always been annoying", she said, "but in Ancient Runes he started quizzing me on the roles of a prefect. He's becoming as bad as Percy!"

She realized as soon as she had said it that it was a mistake. The Weasley family still hadn't heard a word from Percy, even after the ministry had publicly announced Voldemorts return. Harry and Hermione had made a silent agreement not to mention Percy in front of Ron, because whenever they did, Ron would go into a long-winded rant about what an annoying git he was. This time though, Ron didn't say anything. He just stared moodily down at his plate, mashing up all his food with his fork. Harry caught Hermione's eye (who looked like she was about to ask Ron what was wrong) and shook his head to indicate for her to leave it for a while.

They spent the rest of their lunch in silence, before heading up to their dorms to get their Charms books. Ron had apparently gotten over his bad mood, because he spent the whole walk to charms chatting to Harry about Quidditch.

"So have you figured out when tryouts are going to be?" he asked eagerly.

"Not yet", replied Harry. "I have to do that tonight, as well as organize the DA and everything." They walked a few more paces in silence, until...

"Hey Ron?" Harry asked. "Listen, mate. I'm gonna be really busy this year. What with quidditch, and the DA, and my extra lesson with Ailey, I'll probably need all the help I can get. So, how would you like to be my vice captain?"

"Really, you mean it?" asks Ron, disbelieving.

"No", said Harry sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I just asked you to get your hopes up...of course I mean it, I wouldn't have asked other wise."

"Thanks mate!"

"No worries."

They entered the charms classroom, Harry and Ron beaming from ear to ear, and Hermione rolling her eyes.

Charms, as it tuned out, was a lot easier then potions had been. Professor Flitwick was nice enough to give them a lesson of quick revision of everything they had done last year, in the hopes that they would all be prepared next lesson when the real work began. Harry walked out of the class thinking that perhaps this year wouldn't be so bad.

He was really looking forward to his defense against the dark arts class; it would be good to have a decent teacher for a change. He beamed at Remus when he entered the classroom, at sat at the front with Ron and Hermione. Harry was surprised when he looked around the classroom to see that the class made up completely of DA members. When the shouts of greetings and welcome backs to professor Lupin had died down, Remus started the lesson.

"Good afternoon, I'm sure you all remember me, so there's no need to introduce myself", he started, smiling at them. "You may have noticed that all of you here belonged to last year's DA group. There is a good reason for this; you see this isn't just normal defense against the dark arts. This is _advanced _defense against the dark arts."

Some of the class looked excited about this, other nervous and apprehensive. Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"Yes Hermione?"

"Sir, I was just wondering, there hasn't been an advanced class previously, has there?" That was true, Harry had never heard of an advanced DADA class.

"Right on queue, as usual Hermione", said Remus. "Yes, this is the first year the class has run. Let me explain; never before in the school's history have such a large amount of students gotten above 95 in their defense exams, and so when you all did so well, Dumbledore thought it best to start up an advanced class. All of you in this room scored above 95."

The class all looked pretty impressed with themselves, and rightly so; they had all put a lot of work into perfecting their skills in the DA. Harry was especially proud that all his 'students' had done so well.

"Right", said Remus, once the excited whispers had subsided. "Who can tell me what you learnt last year in professor Umbridge's class?"

"Bugger all!" came Dean Thomas' shout from the back of the classroom, and the class chuckled appreciatively.

"Oh I know what I learnt", said Seamus. "I learnt that endless classes of theory can be really, _really_, boring!" Again the class laughed, and Remus looked like he wasn't sure whether to reprimand them or not.

"Ok then", said Remus. "Who can tell me what you learnt last year in the DA?" Hands shot up into the air instantly, and Harry beamed.

"How to disarm properly"

"The impedimenta jinx"

"The reducto curse"

"How to stun people properly"

"Patronuses", said Neville, to which Remus held up a hand to stop them.

"Hands up here who can produce a corporal patronus?" Every member of the class raised their hand to Remus' question. Remus let out a soft whistle; he was no doubt impressed.

"In that case", he said. "I've changed today's lesson plan. I want to see everyone's patronus. Mr. Longbottom, you can go first." Harry looked at Neville. He had come such a long way from the intimidated and shy boy he used to be. Now he stood proud and tall as he cast his patronus, and the class applauded.

The rest of the lesson flew by fairly quickly, everyone showing Professor Lupin his or her patronuses. Before Harry new it the bell had rung and the rest of the class was filing out. Harry stayed behind with Ron and Hermione to talk to Remus.

"It so good to have you as our teacher again, professor", said Hermione, as she approached Remus' desk.

Remus smiled "I'm glad some people think so. I was really worried that everyone would react like young Mr. Malfoy did, but this class was pretty good. The first years might be a different story, though, seeing as they don't know me yet."

"I already spoke to the younger Gryffindor students, the ones who you haven't taught yet", said Hermione. "And I told them not to worry, and that you were a friend of Harry's. That seemed to settle that matter. Also, I know Ernie is going to speak to the hufflepuffs, and Anthony to the ravenclaws, so it should only be the slytherins who give you a hard time, but they give everyone a hard time."

Remus gave Hermione a look of extreme gratitude, before he turned to Harry. "It seems I underestimated your teaching abilities. I cant believe you have them all doing patronuses!"

Harry shrugged. "They were all pretty keen to learn, 'cause of Voldemort and all, so it wasn't too hard."

"Your continuing the group aren't you?"

"Yep", Harry replied. "I just have to figure out times. I was thinking though, do you reckon you could stop by and give us a hand every now and then?"

Remus smiled. "Love to, just let me know when and where."

Hermione started digging in her pocket for something. "In that case", she said, pulling a gold galleon out of her pocket, "have a fake galleon. See the numbers? When Harry changes the numbers on his, everyone's will grow hot and show the date of the next meeting. It's how we kept things secret from Umbridge, but we might as well keep using them." Remus seemed suitable impressed.

"As to where", said Ron, "we use the room of requirement, do you know it?"

Remus raised an eyebrow. "I was a marauder, of course I know it. It was our favorite room."

"Ok", said Harry. "Now that that's sorted, I'm off to sort out quidditch. See you later, Rem...er...Professor!"

After dinner, Harry returned to the common room with Ron and decided on times for quidditch tryouts. They needed replacement beaters, because the ones that had filled in for Fred and George the previous year had decided not to play this year. They also needed 2 replacement chasers to take Angelina and Alicia's old spots. Katie Bell was still on the team, so they talked to her and decided to hold tryouts on Friday at 5. Ron made up some signs and stuck them to the notice boards.

Harry had talked to people from Ravenclaw and Huffelpuff at lunch and decided that the best time for the first DA meeting would be Thursday at 8. He took out his galleon and changed the date on it, before he headed up to bed for a well-earned sleep.


End file.
